


The Rite of Passage

by NatureThing



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Swearing, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 07:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20385775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatureThing/pseuds/NatureThing
Summary: On the night of Luna Griffith's eighteenth birthday, a strange creature bites her. At the hospital she's sent to, her father - who mysteriously disappeared eight years ago - pays her a visit. After forcing her to live with him in Beacon Hills, Luna's father shows her that there's more to her bite than meets the eye.





	1. Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. Welcome to my first Teen Wolf fan fiction! I hope you like it :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the show Teen Wolf, nor do I own the movie it was based on. I also do not own the song that's used in this chapter.
> 
> Beta Reader for this Chapter: Missbooradley (found on FFN).
> 
> Enjoy.

"Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart."

~ Haruki Murakami, _ Kafka on the Shore_

* * *

Ten-year-old Luna Griffith awoke to the sound of whispers coming from the other side of her door. She recognized the voice of her mother, father, and their friends - Michael, Marco, and Johnathon. She didn't know what they were saying, but the child knew it was important enough to be whispered.

Leaning up in her bed, Luna strained her ears to catch the conversation.

". . . now?!. . . just got here," said Mom.

". . .would if. . . could, Maryann. . . but. . . need to do this," answered Dad, his unique voice clearer than her mother's. "We have to talk to. . . . She'll know what to do."

"But the baby. . . be here any day now."

"Darling," said Dad. ". . . have to. . . be back. . . before you know it."

"We'll. . . back. . . end of. . . month," answered Marco

A long pause lingered in the air before Mom gave an audible sigh. "Alright. . . tell Luna good-bye. . . . be heartbroken. . . leave without. . . explanation."

Luna felt her body freeze. If her parents found her awake she'd be in big trouble. Acting fast, Luna buried her body underneath her blankets and closed her eyes. Not a moment later, her bedroom door slowly opened. The hall's light illuminated the room as footsteps creaked across the floorboards.

She felt a presence by her bedside as the visitor bent down on their knees and gently shook her arm. "Luna? Sweetheart? Are you awake?"

The girl opened a drowsy eye. "Yes, Daddy," she said tiredly. "I'm. . ." - a cheesy (but convincing) yawn escaped her rosebud lips - "awake."

A chuckle escaped her father's lips, humor sparkling in his blue gaze. He knew she wasn't as asleep as she led on. "Yes. I can see that. Listen. There's something I need to tell you, love. I know that I just got back, but I have to leave again. My friends and I will be gone for awhile."

"Oh," said Luna, a feeling of disappointment building up inside of her chest. "Okay."

Dad gave her a somber look. He wasn't pleased by the news, either.

A large, warm hand touched the side of Luna's face while a calloused thumb brushed across her temple. "Believe me, sweetheart. I don't want to leave you, or your mummy and unborn sibling, behind; but I have to. I'm doing this for you and your baby brother or sister's safety and future. This will help me achieve that. I'll be back before you know it."

"Your friends, too?" Luna asked in a hushed tone.

A bright smile graced her father's features, pride dancing in his eyes. "Yes. Our friends, too. I promise."

The man was caught off-guard when his daughter wrapped her short arms around him in a tight hug. There were moments when he couldn't believe that his child - his baby - was almost all grown-up. It wouldn't be long before she would become a beautiful young woman. But, during times like this, he could still see the innocent he'd watched grow and learn and play. She'd always be the infant he held for the first time all those years ago. His baby.

"I love you, Daddy," she breathed into his shoulder, tears falling from her eyes.

Her father fought back his own tears, not ready to let go. He did not know when he'd be able to experience something like this again.

The moment was put to a reluctant stop when he pulled away from her. Desperate, Luna called out, "Wait!" She didn't care how loud or pathetic she might have sounded. She just wasn't ready to say good-bye to her father yet. "Will you tuck me in, please?"

If there was one thing the ten-year-old loved what her father did most, it was when he helped her settle in for the night. Luna never felt safe from imaginary monsters unless he was the one who kissed her good-night.

Her father paused mid-stride as if what he'd heard was Earth-shattering news. For a frightening moment, Luna thought he'd tell her no and then leave for who knows how long. It was of great relief when he finally replied, "Yes. Of course."

Bending over Luna, he wrapped her up in a snug cocoon to make her feel comfortable and well protected. "There. All nice and tight." He kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, my moon. I love you."

Said moon kissed her father's whiskery cheek as fast as a viper striking its prey. "I love you, too, Daddy. Be safe."

"I'll try my best. Good-night, Luna."

"Good-night, Daddy."

With a colossal yawn, Luna closed her heavy eyelids, darkness immediately consuming her.

* * *

_BOOM!_

Luna jolted up-right in her bed, a loud gasp escaping her mouth. A few minutes later, her heart began to slow to an average beat as she gained control of her frightened mind. Glancing out her window, she noticed that a storm was passing through.

_It's alright_, she assured herself. _It's just thunder_.

Eight years had passed since the night she and her father had said farewell. And almost every night since then she would dream of him. Since her father's disappearance, Ariel – Luna's younger sister – had been born. Her mother had taken, and completed, online college courses for a degree in Business. Mom had even opened her own weapons shop. Meanwhile, Luna had grown into a young adult who was to celebrate her coming of age two weeks from the current date.

It hurt knowing that her father broke his promise. This forced her to acknowledge how it had deeply affected her. Despite this, Mom didn't report that he was missing.

"Dad left us, and I don't know if or when he'll come back," Mom admitted when weeks turned into months and months into years.

She never understood why her mother didn't do everything she could to find her husband. She'd lost the love of her life, and she hadn't done a single thing. All she'd done was hope he'd return to them in one piece. This was one of the many things Luna would never be able to comprehend.

_If I ever fall for someone, I'll never stop fighting for them. _

Taking a deep breath, Luna plopped back down on her mattress. When she finally closed her eyes, she heard her door creak open. The light footsteps of a tiny person then padded across the floor.

Luna felt her pajama top's sleeve being pulled before a soft voice meekly whispered, "Luna?" Another pull of her sleeve. "Luna?"

Peeking open a tired eye, Luna asked, "What is it, sweetie?"

"I. . . I can't sleep," Ariel admitted timidly. "The storm's scaring me. Can I sleep with you? Mommy won't wake up."

Luna felt her heart melt for her sibling. She knew that Mom slept like a hibernating bear, completely absent to the world.

"Of course you can sleep with me, mermaid."

Helping Ariel get settled under the covers, Luna brought the brunette closer to her body. She closed her eyes, ready to go back to sleep. . . . but the trembling body pressed against hers made it hard to do so.

"Go to sleep, Ariel. The scary noises will stop frightening you if you do."

"But. . . but I can't," she squeaked.

"Yes. You can. Now, shhhhhh. Go to sleep," Luna slurred over a heavy tongue.

Ariel was silent for a few minutes before she asked, "Will you sing me a song, Moon Moon?"

Luna's chocolate-colored gaze shot wide open, not believing what she'd heard. "What?"

"A. . . a song."

"I'm not so sure about that, mermaid," Luna sighed.

"But I like it when you sing. Your voice is so pretty. The lullaby you sing to me when I'm frightened always makes me feel happy and a little braver."

"Are you kidding me?" snorted Luna. "My singing voice sounds like nails in a blender."

"Please?" Ariel pleaded. "I'll go right to sleep after you sing. Promise!"

When she saw the look on Ariel's face, an eager wanting, Luna gave in to her sister's request. "Alright. Fine. I'll sing. Happy?"

Ariel nodded enthusiastically, not having caught or understood Luna's use of sarcasm. "Very," the girl giggled, a toothy smile on her heart-shaped face.

Luna smiled, laughter clear as day upon her pale face. "Okay, then. What's the song you wanted me to sing, again?"

Ariel gave a bell-like laugh. "You're funny, Moon Moon. You know which song; the one from my favorite movie, _Mighty Joe Young_."

Luna gave her sibling a mock look of surprise. "I thought your favorite movie was _The Wizard of Oz_!"

Ariel shook her head, ringlets lightly banging against her head. "Nope. That's your favorite movie. Not mine."

"Oh! Right. How silly of me."

The seven-year-old giggled.

"Alright. Here I go." Taking in a practiced breath, Luna began the all too familiar song.

_Sing a song_

_And for a moment_

_You will be visited by the wind_

_Sing a song_

_And for a moment_

_Dream sweetly of the wind_

_Sleep now until the night is dawn_

_The wind and the night song, they are there_

_However the song, my child, the song will go on forever._

When Luna finished the song, she realized that Ariel had fallen asleep while she sang. Smiling to herself, Luna kissed her sister's forehead and brought her closer to her body. "Love you, little one."

Burying her face into a sea of curly hair, she found herself surrounded by the smell of strawberries. The rain continued to tap against glass as Ariel's breath lulled her back to sleep.


	2. Friendships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta Reader for this Chapter: Missbooradley (can be found on FFN).

"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate."

~ Linda Grayson

* * *

When Luna woke the following morning, she discovered that her sister was missing.

"Ariel?" Luna slurred as she lazily blinked her blurry eyes. "Ariel?"

She brought her body up in a sitting position while she scanned the bedroom for her sibling. When Luna saw the time displayed on her alarm clock, she figured that Ariel had gone to the living room to watch cartoons. Satisfied with her answer, Luna raised her arms above her head for a stretch before making her way towards the kitchen. Once there, Luna heard noise coming from the sitting room.

Peeking around the corner, Luna saw Ariel sitting in front of the TV. Her sibling was using their dog, Bernerd, as a back rest. A laugh escaped Ariel when Daffy Duck was shot after being tricked to say 'duck season' by Bugs Bunny.

Luna couldn't help but smile. Her little sister always made her feel better, even if it was unintentional.

Walking up to the kitchen's doorway, Luna called out in an enthusiastic diner gal accent, "Hellooo! Welcome to Luna's Diner, where everything is served, except disappointment and bacon. I'm your chef, and waitress, Luna Griffith. What's your order?"

As she said this, Bernerd gave a startled 'woof!' while Ariel jumped in the air and turned towards her older sister. Ariel smiled, having realized it was Luna. "A cheesy tuna melt, please."

Luna gave a thumbs up. "Alright. One grilled tuna coming right up."

Leaving her sister and pet, Luna began to gather what she needed to make the meal. Once everything was out, she turned on the radio that sat on the counter. She soon settled on an Aerosmith song, which she moved her hips to while she cooked. When she placed the first melt into the frying pan, the phone rang. Thinking it was her mother checking in, the teenager wiped her hands on a towel and answered it. "Hello?"

"_Luna Giselle Griffith. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now_."

Not Mom.

"I could give you a few, actually."

"_Oh, really_?"

"Really."

"_Okay, then. Shoot_."

"Well, first off, you can't kill me at the moment because you're not physically here."

"_Smart aleck_."

"Second, I don't know what I did so wrong that it gives you the right to seriously harm me."

"_I'll tell you why: you didn't answer your cell_."

"That's because I just woke up."

"_Lazy bones. It's almost eleven_."

"Third, you love me too much to kill me."

"_You don't know me, then_."

"Sure I do. Fourth, I'm in the middle of making my sister lunch, so would you be kind enough to wait until we're alone? I would appreciate it if my kid sister didn't witness my unnecessary, and terribly early, demise."

"_Wait. Did you say that you're making lunch_?"

Luna sighed, knowing what would happen next. "Come on over."

"_Great! See you in a few_."

The line went blank.

Shaking her head, Luna hung up and got busy making another sandwich. True to their word, the fiend banged their fists against the back doors minutes later. Leaving the food, she walked over and unlocked the sliding doors before going back to the stove.

"Why on Earth do you have the sliders locked?" they asked in an annoyed, yet perplexed, tone.

"To keep people like you out," Luna answered without turning away from her task.

The guest brought their lips out in a pout. "But I'm your best friend!" they whined.

"Which is exactly why I had them locked, Winifred dear."

Winifred Samuelson was a neighbor of the three remaining Griffiths. She was also Luna's closest friend since childhood.

Winifred glared at her friend. "Since you seem to have forgotten, I'd like to remind you that I strongly dislike the name my parents picked out for me."

"Whatever, Fred. And you know the reason our doors and windows are always locked at night."

Fred rolled her eyes. "Which I think is absolutely ridiculous. There hasn't been an animal attack in town for years - as in not since our grandparent's parents were kids."

"Yeah, well, try telling that to my mom. Since Beacon Hills had those mountain lion attacks last fall, she's been paranoid that they'll come here next."

"What!? She doesn't think mean, old Bernerd will attack the nasty beasts who'd dare try to enter this threshold?" Fred asked sarcastically as she grabbed a tuna melt from the serving plate that had been set on the kitchen table.

"Oh? Bernerd? What makes you think he won't do his noble duty?"

"Well, let's see. AHHH! HELP! HELP!" screamed Fred at the top of her lungs.

Instead of a Bernese Mountain Dog coming to the rescue, Ariel asked if everything was alright.

"Yes, mermaid. We're fine," answered Luna. "But I thought he was a super hero?" she told her best friend in pure dismay. "Isn't hiding under a bed during a thunderstorm the opposite of cowardice?"

Fred laughed at the fine specimen's behavior from the previous evening. "Really? Chicken Dog hid under a bed last night?"

"Yep."

"Where?"

"My mom's. It's a wonder that he didn't wake her up. Then again, nothing seems to ruin my mother's sleep. Even crying babies don't do the trick."

"That is hilarious."

"But wait. There's more! Watch."

They turned their attention towards the living room before Luna called out, "Ariel! Bernerd! Lunch!"

A loud bark came from the other room. Sure enough, Bernerd came bounding in with his youngest mistress close behind him.

"See. It's clear that Bernie here is the fiercest attack dog."

"Well, obviously," chuckled Fred as she played with her leftover crust. "I guess this means that I better watch out, or else I'll be mauled to death."

"Definitely. Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

Ariel looked at Luna. "Back to the livingroom?"

"Ariel, you know how Mom feels about people eating on the carpet."

"I promise that I won't spill, Moon Moon."

Luna felt unsure of how to answer to her baby sister's pleading look.

Fred, seeing this, sighed dramatically. "Lunatic, let the kid eat her freakin' meal in the freakin' living room. She said that she'd be careful. Besides, I have to talk to you."

Eventually, after shaking her head, Luna gave in. "Fine. Eat off of the coffee table. We don't need Mom coming home from work and seeing food stains on the floor."

"Okay. I will," agreed Ariel, before leaving the two friends alone.

Before they could start their conversation, Bernerd made himself known.

"What? What do you want?" asked Luna.

Bernerd barked as if his statement was quite clear on what he wanted.

"I think he wants a sandwich, too," remarked Fred as she drank from her glass.

"Right. I forgot." Grabbing one of the two remaining melts, Luna pointed a finger at him. "Sit, Bernerd."

Bernerd gave her a look, as if to question his owner's sanity.

"Fine. Here," grumbled Luna, tossing the meal at the lazy canine.

Bernerd caught it with his mouth, plopped down on the tiled floor, and began chewing on his treat.

"Stupid animal," mumbled Luna as she sat down in a chair and began to eat. "So what did you want to talk about, Fred?"

The green-eyed girl gave the munching woman across from her a look as if to say 'are you for real?' "The beach party that's happening on your birthday. You know, with volleyball and a bonfire that our entire school will be attending."

"Yeah. It's going to have half of our school there because hardly anyone lives in this town."

"Oh. My. God. Forget that we live in a crappy little town that everyone hates and can't wait to get out of. Keep in mind who the host of this party is: Dennis Harvey."

"Wow! Dennis Harvey!? He's, like, such a hunk. I can't wait to see him from afar," Luna exclaimed with mock enthusiasm.

"Come on. Don't play that with me. You seem to have forgotten why you'll be seeing Hunkalicious through a sea of girls: Alistair St. Clair."

At the mention of her crush's name, Luna's mind immediately went to the beach-god. His tanned skin, his wavy blonde hair, the way his ripped abs shimmered with sweat on a hot day. . . . It was enough to make any hormone crazed teen melt where they stood.

A brilliant blush graced her pale features.

"Aha! I knew it! You do like him!" crowed Fred, a triumphant look on her face.

"It's just a silly crush, Fred. I hardly even know him," mumbled Luna, taking a bite of her meal to avoid looking at Fred's sparkling green gaze.

"_Luna has a cr-ush. Luna has a cr-ush. Luna has a_-"

"Alright! I get it. Shut up. And you're one to tease, Fred. Don't you have the love bug for Dennis?"

Now it was the bully's turn to feel embarrassed. "No. No, I don't. Well. . . . You're just trying to get even with me!"

Luna felt herself grin at her friend's statement. "Who said I was seeking revenge? What else did you want to talk about?"

"Well, since you asked. We, as in your very best friends in the whole world, want to have a late night soccer game after we leave the beach. Just the five of us."

"There's five of us. Wouldn't that mean we'd have uneven teams?"

"So? Who cares! We've done it a million times before. Anyway, we want to celebrate your coming of age by playing a round or two. What do you think?"

The raven-haired girl looked at the teenager across from her and smiled. "Sounds like a perfect idea."

"Great! I'll tell the others. We're still on tonight for the diner and movies, yeah?"

"Only if my mom decides to stay out until dawn."

"Perfect. Be back in a few." Getting up from her seat, Fred exited through the glass doors, closed them, and pointed at the handle. "Keep them unlocked this time, will you?"

Luna held up a thumb to show that she'd heard.

"Make sure that mutt doesn't attack me when I return," Fred called out before disappearing.

Luna looked down at Bernerd, who had his head placed atop his giant paws.

"You wouldn't attack an innocent human being, right?"

In response, Bernerd brought his sleepy gaze up to look at his owner and gave a loud doggie sigh.

"Of course you wouldn't. That would be too much of an effort, huh?"

* * *

"Oh, Lunatic! It's time to go!" called a voice from outside of the Griffiths' house.

Mom tore her eyes away from the television to look at her eldest daughter. "Sounds like Fred's here."

Finishing the page she was on, Luna closed the novel she was reading. She got up from the couch, put on the shoes she had by the front door, and grabbed her purse.

"Bye, you guys."

"Bye!" said Ariel, waving from her seat by the glass coffee table before going back to whatever she was drawing.

"Be back by eleven. And be safe," added Mom from the sofa.

"Alright, Mom. I will. Don't worry." Waving one last time, Luna left the house.

"Ready?" greeted Fred once the front door was closed.

"Ready."

"Okay, then. Let's go! To the Rust Bucket!"

"To the Rust Bucket," echoed Luna, as they made their way to her crappy car and drove off into the night.

* * *

"I'm soooo pissed. That movie was a complete waste of my time," complained Fred as she and her friends left the movie theatre.

"_Language_," sang Brent.

"_Don't care_," she retorted.

"Oh, come on, Fred. It wasn't that bad," said Luna.

"Yeah," agreed Brandon. "If you can overlook how the aliens suddenly gave up because someone politely asked them to leave."

Brent laughed at his buddy's comment so hard that his side seemed to split open. "Good-good one, Bran," he gasped out between heavy breaths.

Fred gestured her hand towards Brent and Brandon. "See. Even they agree with me, and they never do."

"What did you think of the film, Katelyn?" Luna asked her quiet friend.

"Huh?" asked Katelyn, looking as if she had been caught off-guard.

"The movie. What did you think of it?" repeated Fred.

"The movie. . . . Oh! I thought it was okay. The ending definitely could have been better, though."

"The Silent Maiden agrees with the majority," announced Brent. "But there's still an opinion that we need to hear before we decide _Immortal Glory_'s fate."

Looking at Luna, Brandon asked, "What did you think of _Immortal Glory_?"

"What did I think? Hmm. Well, let's see." Bringing up a pale hand, Luna began to list off her opinions finger by finger. "The CGI was elaborate, the acting was almost decent, and the writing was barely tolerable. It was the ending that irked me, and that's saying something for a Sci-fi flick. I mean, what revenge-seeking aliens would wage an all-out attack and war on the world, only to leave when a five -"

"Seven," corrected Brent.

"Seven-year-old girl asks them to kindly leave? None! They'd be pretty pathetic extraterrestrials if they did. They'd be the laughing-stock of the Universe. And don't say it's because she's 'the underestimated chosen one.' Please! I mean, who comes up with this stuff?"

"Ray Copperfield, actually," replied Brandon. "And he's actually never written or directed a good film in his life. Ever. This is, in fact, considered his 'best movie masterpiece, yet.'"

"Someone gag me," begged Fred, sticking a finger down her throat.

As Fred said this, the companions entered the small diner that was across the street from the tiny cinema. Sitting in their usual seats, the group continued their conversation.

"Well, it could have been worse, you know," Luna pointed out. "But it still, as Fred would say, pissed me off."

Brent playfully gasped. "Such vulgar language coming from the eldest of our gang."

Waving a hand, Luna responded with, "Yes. I tend to say childish comments when I strongly dislike something."

Brandon smiled at Luna. "Such wisdom from one so immature."

"Immature, huh?" Taking a sugar packet, Luna threw the pink square at the irritating brunette's face. "You'll have to think of a better word than that to describe me."

"You're right," agreed Fred. "Immature tells us zilch about you. You're _annoyingly_ immature."

The Immature One grinned. "Preciously. Annoying describes me well."

"And insane," said Brent.

"And clueless," added Fred, a smile spread across her gorgeous features. "And let's not forget-"

"A lunatic!"

"You couldn't be more right, Katelyn. Luna Griffith _is_ a lunatic," chuckled Fred.

Luna lightly punched Fred's arm, brown eyes dancing with humor. "Yep. That's me: Luna the Lunatic."

"And who you'll always be," said Brandon, his hazel gaze full of affection.

During this moment, Luna couldn't think of a better life or friends. She had what she wanted: people who cared about her, a loving mother and sister, a dumb dog, and a home in Mendocino. She never wanted to give it up, even if she had to.

Smiling, Luna looked at everyone at the grey-and-white speckled table. "Good. Let's keep it that way."

As the evening continued, the friends ate grease and sugar infested food and talked for what seemed like forever.

_If only things could stay this way._


	3. Eighteen

"A lovely 'birthday princess' with such enchanting ways deserves the royal treatment on her special day of days!"

~ Unknown Author

* * *

Luna spent the following couple of weeks working at her mother's shop, watching Ariel, and hanging out with her friends. Late one night, while she was driving home from Katelyn and Brandon's house, she noticed something that looked. . . off.

When she was at a stop sign, Luna saw movement from the corner of her eye. Turning her head she saw it: a pair of glowing red eyes hiding in the shadows of a house.

Frightened, Luna sped over the limit and didn't stop until she arrived at her destination.

She never told anyone what had scared her that evening, especially her mother. If she confided with Mom about this, she wouldn't let Luna out of her sight for months.

It took two days for Luna to lose the paranoia she felt. It took a few more days after that for her to stop jumping whenever she heard a floor board creek.

By the time the day of her birth arrived, she completely forgot about what had happened. That is, until that evening.

* * *

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"GAH!" screamed Luna, jolting up in bed in a tangle of sheets. "Oh my god. You two scared me!"

"Sorry, dear. We didn't mean to give you a fright," apologized Mom.

"Liar," mumbled Luna under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Ariel crawled atop her sister's bed before settling down by Luna's feet. "We made you breakfast," the brunette said, blue eyes glistening with excitement.

"I can see that," responded Luna, eyeing the steaming tray in her mother's hands.

"But you can't eat until you've opened your presents," Ariel told her, tone firm. "Because, if you don't, I won't give you the gift I got you."

"You drive a hard bargain, kid," sighed Luna. "Alright. I agree to your terms."

"Yay!"

Mom placed the tray on a desk before joining her daughters.

"Where's Bernerd?" asked Luna having just realized that the dog in question was missing.

"Where do you think? He's sleeping in the livingroom," answered Mom.

"Well, that explains a lot," snorted Luna while rolling her eyes.

Luna felt something tugging on her pajama sleeve.

"Open mine first, Moon Moon," said Ariel, holding out a poorly wrapped object.

"Okay."

"Read the card first."

"Of course. Why wouldn't I? Cards are the best part!"

Ariel smiled, a giggle escaping her lips.

Taking what she assumed was the card, Luna began to read it. On the front, there was a purple heart with red letters written in a young child's handwriting. It read: "To the best big sister EVER." On the inside was a picture of two girls. One of them was in a blue skirt while the other wore a purple skirt. The little people stood on green lines and pink flowers while a yellow sun shinned above them. On the right were more red letters that said: "Happy 18th birthday, Moon Moon. Love, Mermaid."

_So this is what she was working on all week._

Luna couldn't help but smile at her sister's thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Ariel."

"But you haven't even opened up your present yet."

Luna shrugged her shoulders. "I can still say thank you for the lovely card you made me."

Placing the hand-made card aside, Luna tore open the gift she had in her lap. Once all the wrapping was torn, Luna found an adorable black wolf. It had big brown eyes and a beautiful sky-blue bow tied around its neck. Underneath the stuffed toy was a copy of her favorite band's newest CD.

"Ah, mermaid. He's precious! And it's my favorite band's new CD! Come here." Grabbing her sister in a hug Luna said, "Thank you, sweetie. I love them."

"You're welcome, Moon Moon. I thought that the stuffed wolf would be a great gift for you because wolves howl at the moon. And I had enough money left over to buy your CD. How cool is that?!" Ariel enthusiastically exclaimed.

"Very," agreed Luna.

Another object was held in front of the teenager.

"Here's mine," said Mom. "I hope you like it."

Taking the box, Luna began to tear away the wrapping until she saw a gold and maroon box. After removing the lid, Luna gasped at what she saw. Inside was a pendant shaped like a crescent mon, which hung from a matching silver chain.

"Mom." Luna was at a loss of words.

"Your father and I got that for you many years ago. We were both obsessed with name meanings. You wouldn't believe the amount of moons that were in your nursery. When your father saw this in a store, he fell in love with it and bought it. We agreed to give it to you on your eighteenth birthday."

Luna felt her heart aching in her chest. Her father had bought this for her when she was a baby. The thought of how much he had once cared for her was beginning to overwhelm Luna.

"Thanks, Mom. I love it."

Luna meant it with all her heart. Having another piece of her dad, no matter how much she hated him for leaving them, meant a lot to her.

Mom smiled, wrinkles forming in the corner of her eyes. While Ariel had the same blue gaze as their father, Luna shared hers with their mother. "As warm as hot chocolate," her father use to say whenever he describe her eye color.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Now, I'm sure you'd like to eat your breakfast?"

A rumble came from the girl's stomach. "Yes, that would be nice."

Chuckling, Mom retrieved the tray and placed it on Luna's lap. The sight of chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs, and a glass of skim milk made Luna's mouth water. "Thanks, Mom. I haven't had something like this in forever."

"Forever is very long time, Luna," Mom remarked.

"Which is what it feels like since the last time you've made a meal this big for me."

When Luna finished eating, Mom took the tray and began to leave. "Come on, Ariel. Let Luna get dressed."

"Okay, Mom," said Ariel before following her mother like an obedient duckling. "See you later, Moon Moon!"

Once the door was closed, Luna got out of bed to get ready for the long and exciting day that was ahead of her.

* * *

"How's this look?" asked Luna, showing off the outfit she had on to her friends.

Katelyn and Fred gave the swimsuit a good look before commenting on it.

"It's good, I guess," said Katelyn.

"If you want to look like a grandma," added Fred.

"Really? I look like a grandma?"

Looking at her full-length mirror, Luna saw what Fred meant. The floral one piece looked like it belonged to her Great Aunt Tammy during the 90's.

She scrunched her nose with disgust. "Ew. I see what you mean. It looked cuter with my white shorts."

"What is it with you and white? Few people consider it their favorite color," asked Fred, curious of Luna's answer.

"I don't know. I just like how clean and pretty it looks," admitted Luna with a shrug of her shoulders.

"She's got a point. White is a pretty color," commented Katelyn.

A snort escaped their green-eyed friend. "Please. You say that about every color."

"There's no shame in liking more than one color," Luna defended Katelyn. "In fact, I also like the colors blue and silver."

"Lunatic, your taste in colors is dull."

"Not true. Blue has so many vibrant and exciting shades."

"Yeah! Like electric-blue, teal."

"Navy, bright-blue," Luna added to Katelyn's list of blues.

"Alright! I get your point. Here. Go try this on," demanded Fred.

Luna glared at her best friend before shaking her head. She left for the bathroom to try on the suit that had thrown at her.

"How many suits do you have again!?" shouted Fred so Luna could hear her.

"Seven!"

"Damn. Who needs that many?"

"I do," retorted Luna. "When one lives near the beach, one must own a large amount of swimwear. What do you think of this?"

Both Fred and Katelyn stared at Luna, eyes full of either awe or excitement.

"What? Does this make me look fat?"

"No, not fat," Katelyn promised. "Not that there's anything wrong with being fat."

Luna felt relief wash over her, but the feeling was soon replaced with curiosity. "Then what's got the two of you looking at me like that? Stop it. It's freaking me out. No, I change my mind. You're making me feel worried."

A chuckle escaped Fred's mouth. "Don't worry. We're looking at you like this because you look amazing in that suit. Hey! Don't look. You're not done yet," she scolded Luna when she tried to get a look at her appearance.

"What else is there to do?"

"Um, hello! Makeup."

"Hair," added Katelyn from the messy bed.

"And you still need an outfit to wear on top of that for our soccer game."

"I'll just wear my Pumas and a pair of old shorts for the game. Besides, why should I. . . . Oh! Yeah. Now I remember."

"That's right: Alistair St. Clair will be there."

"I still don't know why I should bother with makeup, though. Wouldn't it just make me look like a drowned rat if I get wet?"

Fred rolled her eyes while Katelyn dropped her head face down on the bed's covers.

"Honestly, Lunatic. Do you think I haven't thought this through? Lyn!"

Katelyn snapped back into place to see Fred motion towards her purse. She began digging through Fred's bag until she found what she was looking for. Taking it out, Katelyn tossed the object to her friend's waiting hand.

Holding it in front of Luna, Fred simply stated, "Waterproof makeup. Seriously. What do you take me for? A fool?"

"Maybe," drawled Luna, her gaze dull.

"Stupid head."

"You're the stupid head."

Fred glared at her best friend, humor in both girls' eyes and demeanor.

"Come on. Let's finish getting ready. We have a big night ahead of us."

* * *

Forty minutes of preparation later, the trio finally finished their mini makeovers. Throughout this event, Luna's friends wouldn't let her look at any of her reflective surfaces. They wanted to save the Big Reveal for when they were as good as you could get with swimsuits and flip-flops.

"Alright. Ready?" asked Fred once they finished Katelyn's makeup.

"Ready," confirmed Luna.

"On the count of three. One."

"Two."

"Three," finished Katelyn.

They pulled away the red blanket Fred had placed over the full-length.

A moment of silence passed between the group before Fred broke the silence. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

Staring back at the teenagers were three glamorous ladies ready for a night on the town.

Fred was wearing a brown bikini top with a matching pair of shorts. It had wavy pieces of fabric that were tied in a loose bow. She wore a pair of bronze Roman sandals while her hair was in its usual pony-tail. Fred's makeup matched the color scheme of her swimsuit: Earth browns and dark greens.

Katelyn wore a green one-piece that had a tiger drawn on its front in elegant black lines. At the moment, she wore waist-high forest-green shorts with matching flip-flops. Her dusty-brown hair was elegantly curled and pulled back in a high-pony. Her hazel eyes were lined with black eyeliner and lashes coated with mascara. A light-pink blush graced her cheeks and a lip gloss the shade of cherry blossoms sparkled on her lips.

Luna looked like Bond girl with a red bikini that hugged her curves. Her curly, raven-black hair was pulled into a side pony that rested on her left shoulder. The lipstick she wore matched her swimsuit while the rest of her makeup was glammed-up to make her look pop. Luna also wore a pair of black and red sandals and the new necklace her mom had given her earlier that day.

"Ladies, we are ready for anything," announced Fred after they basked in each others glory.

A small smile graced Luna's ivory face. "I believe you're right."

"Let's get this party started!" exclaimed Fred, grabbing her things before leaving the room.

Katelyn, after gathering her own belongings, followed the fearless leader.

With one last look at her reflection, Luna kissed the mirror, an even bigger smile now on her face. "Alistair St. Clair, make my birthday."

* * *

"Mom! Ariel! We're leaving!" Luna called over her shoulder as she and her friends began to make their way to the front door.

Just as Luna reached out for the handle, a stern voice made itself known. "Hold it right there."

The girls turned their heads towards the owner of the statement.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To Dennis' party, but you already know that. Why?"

Mom was standing in the kitchen doorway, a furious look plastered on her face, hands on her hips. The image made Luna wonder what she could have done wrong. A mature pair of eyes glanced at the befuddled teens like they were dressed for a robbery.

"You're not going anywhere, Luna."

The room became deathly silent until the shocked teen burst out, "Why not? I've told you about this party weeks ago. You never told me that I couldn't go."

"I changed my mind. You're not going."

_I can't believe what I'm hearing!_

"Oh my god, Mom! I told you in advance that I was going out tonight. You even saw Fred and Lyn come over to get ready."

"Well, I'm sorry, but plans change."

"And may I ask why you won't let me go out with my friends?"

For a moment, Mom guiltily looked away from the girls. "I can't tell you."

A snort escaped Luna. "Oh, really? You're making me stay in on my birthday because of something I don't know about?"

Furious gaze met furious gaze as the women glared at each other.

"Don't take that tone with me. I'm your mother. I deserve more respect than that."

"Then you better earn it."

Luna instantly regretted what she snapped at Mom. She wished she could take it all back, but it was too late. The hurt that consumed her mother confirmed that.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I really am," apologized Luna, her facial features softening as she spoke. "But I didn't do anything wrong."

"I never said that you did, sweetheart."

"I've wanted to go to this party for weeks. Please let me have fun with my friends."

The three friends held their breath, hoping that they'd be able to attend the party together.

Seeing their pleading looks, Mom caved. "Alright. Go. Have fun," she softly whispered. "But I want you back no later than ten."

Though she'd lost an hour of her curfew, Luna let it slide. She didn't want to push her luck.

Closing the distance that separated the Griffiths, Luna brought her mother into a hug. "Thanks, Mom. I will."

Fred quickly opened the front door and pulled Katelyn after her. "Come on, Luna! We need to meet with the guys."

"I'll call you when I'm on my way home," she promised.

"You better, or I'll ground your rump until next year."

Laughing, she squeezed her mother's hand. "Bye, Mom."

After another hug, Luna followed her friends, ready to begin the night's festivities.

* * *

As the sound of the Rust Bucket's engine filled the afternoon air, Maryann anxiously played with her hands. She knew she should have made Luna stay, that she should have forbidden her from going to Dennis' party weeks ago. But she hadn't been thinking. How could she have been careless? This was her child, for Christ's sake.

When she finally realized that she needed to do something, to keep her safe, Luna was confused by her mother's attitude. Her eldest was a good kid. She didn't deserve to feel guilty for simply wanting to go out on her birthday. And when it mattered most, Maryann had caved. It's because of this decision that they could face dire consequences.

Then again, she was probably over-reacting. Her husband had disappeared years ago. There was no way of knowing if or when he'd come back. Maybe everything would be fine? Besides. If he did come back, he'd at least have the decency to wait until Luna came home. It was the least he could do.

_Please, god. Please tell me that I didn't make a mistake._

* * *

"What was that with your mom?" asked Fred as the friends drove to the beach.

"I don't know. I mean, she can be a bit overprotective sometimes, but I seriously thought she wouldn't let me go for a moment."

"Tell me about it."

The recent memory still stuck with Luna as she continued down the road. She hated fighting with her mom, especially when they had company.

"Here we are," announced Fred, breaking Luna from her thoughts.

"Finally," sighed Luna. "Do you see the boys anywhere?"

The girls began searching for the guys when Katelyn informed the others that she had found them. Luna drove her old Chevy Impala towards Brandon's van and parked right next to the smiling idiots.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally showed up," teased Brent as his friends got out of the Rust Bucket.

"Well, well, well. Look who's still an annoying, little snot," Fred shot back.

"Good one, Fred," approved Brent. "Wow. You look nice, Freddie dear."

"Why, thank you, good sir."

While this exchange happened, Luna and Katelyn got out of the car. Brandon, after nodding at his sister, noticed the other teenaged-girl. His body froze, mesmerized.

"Brandon. Are you alright?" asked his concerned sister.

"What? Oh! Yes. I'm fine. It's just that. . . ." Looking at Luna, Brandon continued his explanation. His expression was equal to a deer caught in headlights. "It's just that Luna looks absolutely incredible."

A light blush graced Luna's cheeks at her friend's comment. "Thank you. You don't look bad yourself."

Brandon grinned.

"Okay. Break it up, you lovebirds. We've got a party to get to, remember?" Fred teased from the sidelines, amused.

"Right. A party." Looking at Brandon, Luna asked in a serious manner, "I don't know. Sounds boring. What do you think we should do, Bran?"

"There's no way out of this one. We'll have to just grin and bear it."

Sighing, Luna said with a heavy-heart, "Fine. If we must, we must. Come along, Miller! Race you to the beach."

"Oh, you're so on, Griffith."

Before anyone could blink, they were off, dropping their things along the way. For that amount of time, Luna thought of only one thing: don't let Brandon catch up.

She knew that if Brandon caught up to her, she would either be pushed aside or picked up by the six-foot-one male. Luckily, Luna made it to the beach first without getting caught.

"Yes! I won!" Luna exclaimed, turning towards Brandon (who had just arrived).

"No way. You cheated."

"I did not cheat!"

"Yeah, you did," retorted Brandon

"Didn't."

"Did."

"Didn't. You're just being a sore loser, Brandon."

A mischievous look possessed his features. "A sore loser, eh?" Before Luna could retort, Brandon picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "I'll show you a sore loser."

"No! Put me down!" demanded Luna.

"I'm sorry. What was that? I can't hear you over all the noise coming from the party."

"I swear, if you throw me into the ocean with all those people watching, I'll kill you."

Luna noticed that as Brandon carried her to the sea people were starting to take notice. Some even went as far as to cheer and whistle the stupid boy on.

"What? Did you say something?!" Brandon shouted, drawing laughter from the shore. By now, Brandon was entering the salty liquid as Luna begged to be returned to safety.

"Please. Don't do this. I'll tell the others that you beat me in the race."

"As nice as that sounds, I'm going to have to decline."

Glancing down at the waves, she noticed that the water was almost up to his chest.

"Brandon, please. Don't throw me in."

"I'm not going to throw you in, Lunatic."

Luna let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm going to toss you in."

"You. Wouldn't. Dare."

"Oh, yes I would."

Once he'd taken Luna off his shoulder, he held her bridal style.

"Don't even-"

"Three."

"Brandon."

"Two."

"I'll-"

"Three!"

Luna screamed as she went flying through the air. She landed in the water, a huge splash marking where she'd gone under. After what seemed like an eternity of panic, her clawed fingers broke the surface. Laughter and applause greeted her from every direction as she shook her head and wiped her damp eyes.

"You jerk!" she screeched at the smiling buffoon. "I'm going to kill you!"

"You'll have to catch me first."

Raising an eyebrow, the upset teenager asked, "Is that a challenge?"

Nodding his head, the boy answered, "Yes. I believe that it is."

"Fine," growled Luna. "I accept."

Before Brandon could get away, Luna splashed him, momentarily blinding her friend. Taking the opportunity, she lunged at her pal. She placed her hands on his broad shoulders and pushed him down, only letting go when he needed to come up for air.

"What," _cough_ "What did I," _cough_ "do?"

"You embarrassed me in front of everyone and forced me in the water before I wanted in."

"You're mean!"

"You know what they say: revenge is a task best done wet."

"I take that back. You're _evil_!"

"You know it," said Luna, humor twinkling in her eyes.

Gesturing his hand towards the shore, Brandon proposed a re-match.

"No way. I'm not doing another race," disagreed Luna, shaking her head.

"Then what do you want to do? Swim casually back towards civilization?"

"No. I'm takeing a taxi."

"Wha- Umph!" grunted Brandon as Luna landed on his back.

"Miller Taxi, if I may add," said Luna, adjusting her body. "To the beach. And do not protest!"

"I guess I deserve this, huh?" sighed the cabbie.

A smile graced Luna's face. "That you do. Now, onward!"

* * *

The swim to the shore took a little more time than it took to get to where Luna and Brandon had fought in World War Ocean. When they arrived, more claps and cheers greeted the duo.

Placing the birthday girl on the wet sand, Brandon soon found out that the tip for his service was a rough shove.

"Hey! That wasn't a tip!"

Turning her head sideways, a look of confusion on her face, Luna stated, "Who ever said I'd give you one?"

"Smart alack."

"Dummy," the curly-haired girl chuckled. "It's a good thing I like you."

"And it's a good thing I can tolerate you."

Luna stuck out her tongue.

* * *

Fred and Katelyn were the ones who Luna met when she came out of nature's public pool.

"You know that Brandon was basically flirting with you," stated Fred matter-of-factly.

"'Nice that you're alright, Luna', 'Glad you didn't drown, Luna'. Gee, Fred. You're such a good friend," Luna grumbled sarcastically as she wrung out her side- pony.

"I'm happy you're alive."

Looking at Fred, Luna stated, "Oh, thank you, Lyn. It's good to know that at least _one_ of you cares about my well-being."

Fred rolled her eyes. "Stop being so dramatic. It's not like you died."

"Yet."

"Luna-"

"But I could have. In fact, I might be a ghost. A memory. A gaseous form of what use to be Luna Griffith."

"Please. Now you're being melodramatic."

"Me? Melodramatic? Never," said Luna in a shocked tone. "And so what if Brandon flirted with me? We're friends. We have a right to go off on each other."

"By flirting?"

"And I'm guessing how you and Brent flirt with each other is considered _friend_ly banter?"

Fred glared at Luna with narrowed eyes that read 'shut your mouth.'

Another smile appeared on Luna's face.

Sensing the tension, Katelyn blurted out, "There was someone who took a notice to you while you were in the water."

"Yeah, all the guests."

Snapping out of her stare, Fred continued the new conversation. "No. Think of someone other than the other guests."

Taking a moment, Luna began to mentally go through a list of people that she figured would already be at the party. "I don't know. Fern Greene? I know she likes to gossip."

"No."

"Try again," urged Katelyn, a strand of dust-brown hair falling out-of-place.

"God. I don't know. Peter Gatlyn?"

"Nope."

"Olivia Newton? I know that she use to have a huge crush on Brandon."

"No."

"Well, I don't know. Who?"

Fred sighed in frustration. "Really? Is it truly that hard to figure out?"

"Yes, actually. It is."

"Alistair St. Clair. He took a huge notice in you, as in, he freakin' noticed you."

A disbelieving snort escaped Luna. "Yeah, right."

"It's true" protested Katelyn. "He did."

"Especially when you came out of the water looking like a goddess," added Fred.

"Me?" laughed Luna. "A goddess? Get real."

"Brandon thought you did," answered the troublemaker as she lazily studied her nails.

Now it was Luna's turn to glare. "Will you just-"

"Hello," interrupted a heavily accented voice.

The trio froze.

Fred was the first to snap out of it. "Hello, Alistair."

_Alistair?_

Luna spun around where she stood. Sure enough, it was Alistair St. Clair, the hottest boy around.

"How are you doing?"

"Good. Good," answered the blonde, his French accent weaving between each syllable he pronounced. "I actually wanted to come over and ask how. . . ." Looking Luna in the eyes, Alistair smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, but I've seemed to have forgotten your name."

Returning his smile with one of her own, the ecstatic girl answered, "Luna Griffith."

"Luna Griffith." The way her name came off Alistair's tongue made her want to giddily shriek. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am. My friend and I were just playing around. I didn't get hurt."

Another heart-stopping St. Clair Smile made her blush an embarrassing shade of red.

"Good. It would be such a shame if a lovely lady like you were injured."

Taking one of the stunned girl's hands, Alistair placed his warm lips on her pasty skin. Bringing himself back up, Alistair said, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Luna Griffith."

As Alistair walked back to his group of friends, Katelyn shouted, "It's her birthday today!"

Turning around, Alistair called out, "What year?"

"Eighteen," squeaked Luna.

"Eighteen!" answered Fred in a louder voice.

"Happy eighteenth birthday, Luna."

And then he was gone.

Once Alistair had disappeared, Katelyn looked at Luna. Her hazel eyes were wide with guilt and horror. "I'm sorry, Lunatic. I didn't mean to. It just came out of nowhere."

Silence surrounded the friends. Katelyn was more than ready for something terrible to happen. Luna, who starred in the distance as she stroked her still tingling hand, turned to look at her frightened friend.

"Are you kidding, Lyn? That was the best gift anyone has ever given me!"


	4. Bitten

"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."

~ Buddha

* * *

"I can't believe it!" exclaimed Fred. "I can't believe that Alistair got everyone to sing to you _and_ asked you out!"

"I know!" answered Luna in an equally excited tone.

When everyone was at the bonfire, Alistair announced that it was Luna's birthday. Luna had felt as if she'd died and gone to heaven when he sang "Happy Birthday" for her. She disliked being the center of attention, but she forced herself to like the burning blush she wore.

When the song was over, Alistair came over and asked Luna if she enjoyed his last-minute gift to her. She'd given him a sheepish smile and nodded her head as she told him that she did. Before Alistair rejoined his group, he asked Luna if she wanted to go out sometime. The shocked teen agreed after closing her gaping mouth. The two then exchanged numbers (one of them on the verge of shaking as hard as an earthquake).

"I look forward to seeing you again," said Alistair, leaving the friends in stunned silence.

Eventually, they broke out of it. Brent teased Luna about her new 'boyfriend' and asked if he could be her maid of honor for their future wedding. Katelyn and Fred squealed with excitement. They chittered like hyper squirrels as they replayed the night's events. Brandon remained quiet. He even seemed a bit tense. Luna asked if he was alright. He assured that he was fine, immediately becoming silent again. She could see that he wasn't alright. All she could do was drop it for now and join in her other friends' conversation.

Now the three girls were on their way back to the cars to change out of their swimwear and into their soccer clothes.

When they arrived, the boys were still MIA. Luna unlocked her Impala and switched out her towel and purse for her messenger bag. Katelyn had a spare set of keys to the van, saving them from having to use the beach's smelly outhouse.

Taking turns, the girls changed out of their swimsuits and into their workout clothes. When the last teen was done, the boys arrived.

"You ready for some football!?" shouted Brent in an all-too-excited tone.

"You mean _soccer_?" said Fred.

"No, I meant _football_."

"Whatever."

"You didn't answer me."

"What?"

"You didn't answer my question: yes or no?"

Rolling her green eyes, Fred playfully punched Brent in the stomach.

"OW! The pain! The pain! I'm dying. Good-bye, cruel world!" Brent cried dramatically.

"Drama Queen. Come on. Let's go. I'm itching for some ball time."

The friends drove off into the night, leaving behind those who partied like there was no tomorrow.

* * *

Ten minutes later, they arrived at their destination. It was a small clearing, just big enough for a half-field game. The path that led to the clearing took a total of four to five minutes of travel time. Trees heavily surrounded the area. If you looked up at the sky, you could see a patch of it framed by wooden fingers and green leaves.

As soon as they reached the clearing, the teens set up their portable camping lanterns to make two goals. A couple of lights sat across from each other to illuminate centerfield. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to allow the players to see where they were going.

"Okay, kids. Gather 'round!" called Fred once the last light was in place.

"Who died and made you leader?" questioned Luna.

"No one. I'm just awesome at bossing people around."

"You got that right."

"Alright, listen up. We need to decide teams," continued Fred as if she hadn't heard Brent.

"I think Brandon and Luna should be one team," suggested Brent.

"No. That's alright. We don't have to," protested Brandon.

Everyone stared at the tall male. Usually Brandon didn't care who was on his team.

"Oh, come on, Bran. You know you want Luna on your team," argued Katelyn.

"She is the birthday girl, so that means that she's an automatic good luck charm," added Fred.

"Believe me. You'll be needing all the luck you can get if you don't want me to cream you."

"Then I'll be on your team so you won't 'cream' me, Brent."

"Okay. I guess it'll be boys verses girls." A devious smile graced Fred's face. "I love it. Two against three. Come on, Lyn. Lunatic, let's beat them to an unrecognizable pulp."

As the enemies separated, Luna couldn't help but wonder if Brandon was mad at her for talking to Alistair. And if he was, why?

Fred was voted goalie, Katelyn offense, and Luna defense.

Once everyone was in place, Fred shouted, "Go!"

The game had begun.

* * *

As soon as the ball was put in play, everything became intense. Katelyn transformed into a tough athlete as she and Brent fought for the ball, feet dancing.

Luna's attention was set on what she and the others had lovingly named Bessie. Her gaze never left the object. Both Fred and Brandon studied Bessie like hawks awaiting their prey. They were fully committed to defending their goals.

Four minutes into the game, Brent attempted to score. He failed when Fred dive-bombed the ball and threw it back onto the field.

"You'll never win when Fred Samuelson's goalie!"

Twenty-five minutes later, it was eight to nine (boys). During this, the players stopped a couple of times to catch their breath and rehydrate. When the score was finally tied, it was decided that whoever made the next goal would be the winners.

With determined spirits, they set their eyes on the prize: ice cream, courtesy of the losing team. At that moment, nothing seemed more intense than five hot and hungry teens.

Luna felt it was her time to shine when Brent came rushing towards her. Katelyn was a few paces behind, but the small girl struggled to keep up. She extended her right leg and kicked with all her might while bumping her hip against Brent's side.

"Hey!" whined Brent from the ground as Bessie sailed into the woods.

"Oops. Sorry," chuckled Luna. "Guess I don't know my own strength.

He glared at Luna from the ground.

"Oh, don't give me that look. I'll go and get the ball to make it up to you, alright?"

"Fine with me."

After helping Brent back on his feet, Luna grabbed her iPhone from her purse and made her way into the woods. The others watched her until she was concealed by branches and leaves.

* * *

"Wow. The ball went further than I thought," said Luna as she searched for the inanimate object.

She felt like she'd been searching for all eternity, yet she still hadn't found what she was looking for. Not even a trace of its whereabouts gave it away.

"Here, Bessie! Here, girl!" called Luna. "Great. I'm calling out for something that can't answer me."

_Crack!_

Luna froze. Something had made a sound, and Luna had a feeling it didn't come from her. Nervous, she continued the search. The sooner she found the ball and returned to the others the better.

Not long after, a flash caught Luna's attention. Bringing her cell back around, she moved it back and forth until she discovered what it was. A sigh of great relief escaped Luna. "Bessie! Thank goodness it's you." Walking up to the pine it sat under, Luna picked up the scuffed toy and hugged it like it was a lost puppy. "Don't you ever run away from us again, young lady. Come on. Let's head-"

Another loud snap echoed throughout the woods, scaring a few birds into flight. Startled, Luna turned around, heart beating rapidly against her chest. Whatever the noise was came from nearby.

Luna shakily lifted her phone and moved it around the area. She found nothing other than bushes and trees. Bringing the electronic back to her side, the teen took a deep breath.

_It was probably just a harmless animal_, she reasoned with herself.

_SNAP!_

If the last sound was close, this one was even closer. Luna slowly turned around, breath caught in her throat. The Apple device she held dimly light the area as it went on sleep mode. That's when she saw it, the same thing she had seen all those weeks ago: a pair of glowing red eyes. This time, it had a face that was faintly outlined by the moon.

Luna screamed as it growled before lunging at her. A searing pain possessed the young woman's body. It was so painful that Luna let out another blood-curdling shriek.

Everything else happened in a blur. Somehow she had escaped. Somehow she had made it back to the clearing where her friends stared at her.

A sharp gasp escaped Katelyn, the brunette's hazel gaze focused on Luna's torso. Glancing down at her side, Luna noticed something staining her gray shirt. She placed a pale hand on the spot and brought it back in front of her face. Something warm and red was on her skin.

_Blood._

The next thing Luna knew, she was on the ground. She could faintly hear her friends screaming, their voices full of panic.

_"Oh my god!"_

_"Luna!"_

_"Lunatic!"_

_"Call 911!"_

_"Oh, no! Nonononono!"_

The last thing Luna saw before the world became black was the moon, shining down on all of the chaos.

* * *

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" cried Luna in fright. "DADDY!"

Her father rushed into her room, fear and concern in his eyes. "Luna, what's wrong?"

"The monsters were trying to get me, Daddy. They were going to eat me," cried the five-year-old, tears forming in her gaze.

The man's fear was replaced with the need to comfort her as she began to cry, her body shaking like a leaf. Going up to her bed, he sat next to his daughter and took the toddler in his arms. "Shh. There, there, love. Nothing's going to get you. The monsters are not real. They're not going to hurt you. Shh. You're safe now. Shh."

Luna berried herself in her father's chest, hands gripping his shirt as she began to calm down. Once she was done crying, Luna whispered, "Please tell me a story, Daddy. Please?"

Her father, now relieved that his child was feeling a bit better now, agreed. "Alright. What would you like to hear?"

Luna thought for a while before shyly saying, "I don't know. You choose."

Her father chuckled. It took him a few minutes to figure out what to tell her. Eventually, he began. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl named Selene. Her hair was made of silver and her eyes shined brighter than the stars. Every day she played on her own because her father never allowed her to see the outside world. He was afraid that someone would steal her and keep the girl's loveliness all to themselves.

"Many years later, Selene decided to sneak out of her home and search for a companion. Selene waited until her father was asleep before she left for what laid outside the castle walls. When Selene entered the woods, she was filled with awe and wonder.

Night soon fell. Since the moon had yet to exist, Selene became lost and frightened. After hours of searching for a way home, Selene found shelter underneath an oak tree and began to cry in despair. No living creature heard poor Selene, for all were asleep. Except for one: a wolf. The wolf, who had excellent night vision, found the girl and asked her what was wrong. Selene, having not seen the wolf, answered, 'I was searching the woods in hopes of finding a new friend, but then it became dark and I became terribly lost.'

"The wolf felt pity for Selene and offered to help her find her way home since he was the only one who could see. Selene eagerly agreed and grabbed a fist full of fur to help her follow him. Not long before dawn, the wolf had returned Selene home. Because it was just light enough for Selene to see, she now knew who her savior was. Everyone she knew told her how dangerous wolves were and how heartless they could be. She knew she should feel fear, but she didn't. How could something so cruel be so good?

"Selene thanked the wolf and asked how she could ever repay him. The wolf simply asked for her to return the following night so they could meet again. The girl agreed, more than happy to return to her rescuer. For three years, Selene slipped away at night after her father went to sleep to meet the wolf. During this time, she and the wolf became close friends. Even though they were not of the same species, they fell in love with each other.

"After confessing their love, Selene and the wolf vowed to run away together to the furthest ends of the Earth. Everything was perfect, but it didn't last forever. Selene's father had learned from a servant that she would leave the castle once he had gone to sleep. Curious as to why Selene did such a thing, he planed to follow his daughter.

"The night Selene and the wolf were to run away, he pretended to be asleep before following her into the forest. Finally, after what felt like hours, Selene's father watched as they met. Seeing how in love with each other they were made him furious and afraid. The wolf was stealing her from him! The thought was unbearable to the poor father. It was then that he decided that something had to be done to prevent this from happening.

"Selene's father reviled himself, striking fear into the lovers' hearts. Selene begged her father to leave the wolf alone, but it was like she was talking to a deaf man.

"Now, the reason her father could see so well was because he had magical powers and knew how to cast spells. He came up with a plan to make sure that no one would ever be able to steal his daughter. Faster than lightning, the man cast a permanent spell on Selene that trapped her in the sky. Satisfied, Selene's father left the heart-broken wolf alone to his misery."

"That's so sad," said Luna.

Poor Wolf and Selene. Her father was so cruel. Luna was thankful that her own father wouldn't do such a thing to her if she ever loved someone.

"Yes, it is. But there was one thing Selene's father couldn't take away from them: the wolf's loyalty and love for Selene. Every night, the wolf would sit alone in the woods and cry out to his beloved. One night, while the wolf cried out to Selene, she sent a cry of her own. Selene swallowed stardust, which filled her with a light so bright that it broke through the darkness. The wolf, happier than he'd been in a long time, sang his glee for all the world to hear. This is why wolves howl at the moon and how the moon came to be."

"Because of their love, right?"

Luna's father shook his head. "Yes and no. It's mostly because they never gave up on each other. If you care for someone, you won't let anything keep you a part. Now rest, my moon. It's getting late."

That was the last thing Luna heard before falling asleep.

* * *

Luna woke up drowsy. The first thing her dizzy mind registered was how strange everything felt. For starters, there was something in her arm. Another thing that was off was all the noise. For all she knew, she could be in the middle of Times Square.

When Luna opened her eyes, she was taken aback by the extreme clarity of her surroundings. Everything seemed bright: the walls, the floor, the TV. . . . It was like someone had put a pair of glasses for the seeing on Luna. Even the scents of the room seemed stronger. She could smell vomit as if it were in her lap, decaying bodies as if they were piled by her side, and heaps of lukewarm food.

It was all too much. _Too much_!

Luna felt like there was something heavy on top of her chest, her breath increasing in volume in speed. What happened to her? Where was she? Where were her friends? Where was Ariel? Where was Mom?

A cool hand pressed against her cheek as a tired voice cooed, "Hey, baby. How are you?"

_Mom!_

Tears began to fall down Luna's sweaty face as she grabbed her mother in a hug. She buried herself into her sweater like she was a frightened six-year-old. "Mom!" she cried. "Mom!"

"Shh. It's alright, sweetie. Shh. It's alright," said Mom as her eldest sobbed into her clothes.

When she was done, Luna asked, "What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. You were attacked by something. Your friends didn't know what else to do but bring you here. Oh, Luna. They thought you were going to die."

A hospital made sense. No wonder she could smell and hear some of those things.

"They did?"

Mom nodded her head, black locks falling out-of-place. "Fred was practically freaking out. Brent was so panicked that he didn't know what to do. Brandon was afraid for you. He held you until they arrived at the ER."

"What about Katelyn? How's she?"

"Katelyn. Bless her heart. I knew that she was afraid, but she was the only one who seemed to be able to pull herself together. She basically took charge of getting you medical treatment. She was the one who called and told me what happened. I was afraid that I'd lost you."

Luna thought of one other person, someone who would be just as scared, maybe even more, than her mother. "Where's Ariel? Is she alright? Did anyone tell her what happened?"

"Ariel's fine. She's with your friends in the waiting room. Your sister knows some of what happened, but not everything. We don't need to give the poor child nightmares."

A moment of silence passed between the two Griffiths. It was Mom who broke it. "I know what attacked you."

"Huh?"

"The thing that attacked you. It bit you, didn't it?"

"Yes. I think so. I mean, yes, I know it did. Why? Could they tell what it was by the teeth marks?"

A whimper escaped her mother, eyes fixed on the floor.

"Mom? What's wrong? Do I have something they can't cure. Oh, no. Please tell me I don't have rabies. I don't want to get shot with twenty needles."

Mom's gaze remained fixed on the ground.

"Come on, Mom. If I have rabies they can stop it before it spreads. I'll be good in no time."

"No. You don't have rabies. They don't know what bit you, either. Not really."

"Well, what do they think it was?"

"A large dog or. . . a wolf."

"A _wolf_? That's impossible. Maybe it was a dog?"

"Luna. Did you see anything unusual about the thing that bit you?"

The teen's mind immediately remembered the glowing red eyes that she'd seen more than once. Should she tell her? She didn't want to. But the look her mom was giving her, terrified, made her choose to say the last thing she wanted to admit. "Yes. I saw. . . I saw a pair of. . . red eyes. Glowing red eyes."

Of what Luna saw of her mother's odd reaction only mere seconds ago, her current one was even worse.

"No. I didn't want this. You didn't get a choice. That. . . that. . . . He took away your life."

"What's wrong? Why are you acting like this? Mom!"

The older woman's pitiful sobs abruptly stopped. Brown eyes met brown eyes. Whatever was going on had just become serious.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you go to that party. I should have told you everything."

"What are you talking about? What should you have told me?"

The sound of nails tapping against tile echoed across the room. Looking towards the doorway, Luna felt her very being freeze. Standing only feet away was a fierce woman. She had a don't-piss-me-off attitude, dark hair, and brown eyes. Her bare feet had the longest, most disgusting, nails Luna had ever seen. But it wasn't the woman who made her eyes widen in disbelief and shock. A blind man had his arm hooked around the strange woman, face lacking emotion. Even after all these years, he still had the same stubble cheeks Luna remembered kissing good-bye.

"Dad?"

"Hello, Luna. I'd say it's nice to see you again, but as you've probably noticed, I can't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GASP! Luna's dad's back. What's going to happen now? 
> 
> Sorry if some of the chapter didn't make sense. I'm not good with action and fast paced scenes. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask me. I promise I won't bite. 
> 
> The story Luna's dad told her was both fun and a pain in the ass to write. Can't tell if it turned out well. Hopefully you liked it. If not, I understand. I'm not sure even if I completely like it. 
> 
> I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible.
> 
> Until next time, see you later :)


	5. Forced

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change."

~ John A. Simone, Sr.

* * *

"I thought I told you to wait outside," Mom deadpanned, eyes full of annoyance.

A smirk crossed Dad's face as he answered, "You were taking longer than needed, Maryann. Besides, Luna will never be ready for what needs to be said."

Mom stood from her seat, anger possessing her features. "Of course she'll never be ready! She's only a child, Deucalion! What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking that our daughter has waited long enough," Dad said, his face angled towards his wife as if he could still see her. "She deserves to know the truth, which you seemed to have failed to do."

"She was to be told the truth when she turned eighteen! That was our agreement."

"Which you've failed to do."

"I was telling her before you interrupted me," growled the crossed mother.

"My humble apologies, dear."

"Oh, so now you regret breaking the deal we made? Let me tell you something, _darling_. Remember that specific part of the deal that you just broke? It became void the moment you left us!"

"Yes, I recall that night quite well. As you have pointed out, the agreement we made has indeed become void, thus allowing me to do what I think is right."

Mom opened her mouth to give a smart retort, but immediately closed it. "You have some nerve. She should have been given a choice before you did this to her. You could have at least honored that, for Luna's sake."

"I understand why you feel this way. Which is why I didn't do it."

"Excuse me?"

"I said that I didn't bite her. A member of my pack did."

If Luna thought her mother couldn't be anymore pissed than she already was, she was wrong. Marryann Griffith's whole being was made of pure and utter outrage.

"You snake! How could you?! You allowed for another member of your pack to do this to her?! For all I care, you were the one who did this to my baby," Mom snarled.

"Let's agree to disagree," Dad smoothly replied.

For a fleeting second, Luna thought her mother would attack her father. She shifted her hate-filled gaze from the blind man to the bizarre woman standing next to her husband. Her chocolate eyes began to boil with rage at the sight of the smug mystery woman.

"I see you've made a new friend." Mom's attention zeroed back in on Dad. "Is she the one who did this?"

The middle-aged man nodded his head. "Yes. Kali was to one who bit Luna."

A million nasty words crossed her mother's face as she slowly brought her gaze back to Kali. "I'll never forgive you for this."

The girl could tell that the words were meant for two other people as well: Dad and herself. Why would Mom feel remorse towards everyone in the room besides Luna?

Of all the things her parents could be talking about, Luna ruled out that her father was having an affair with Kali. It certainly didn't sound like they were talking about adultery. In fact, it sounded like something bigger than grownups cheating on each other. What that was she couldn't figure out.

"If it's not much of a bother, could someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Luna asked, drawing in the room's attention.

"Of course. That's the reason that I'm here," answered her father. "Kali, would you be so kind to lead me to a chair? My feet are. . . quite sore."

Nodding her head, the bare-foot woman led Dad to a seat next to Luna's bed, helping him settle in once they reached it. Mom continued to stare at her husband, still filled with clear disgust.

"Thank you, my dear. Now, I believe that you deserve some answers to what really happened last night."

"Yes, that would be nice," agreed Luna, curious about what her father had to say.

"Do you remember what attacked you?"

"Not really. I heard that the doctors think it was either a wolf or a dog. Dog I can see, but a _wolf_? That seems unlikely, especially here."

A chuckle escaped the middle-aged man. "They're closer than I expected. What do you think attacked you?"

"Leave her alone. She's just woken up," said her mother.

"I believe that I asked Luna a question, not you."

"Don't do this, Deucalion. You already took away her choice, don't take away her life, too."

"Maryann-"

"We made an agreement. We decided to give her a choice, not make it for her," Mom practically whispered in defeat.

Luna blinked as she stared at both her parents before answering honestly, "I. . . don't know what bit me."

Her father smiled before continuing on. "Exactly. You wouldn't know what it was. You haven't been told everything about our world." Leaning slightly forward, he said, "The thing that bit you was neither dog or wolf."

"Then what was it?"

Her father's smile seemed to have grown bigger in size as if what he was about to say brought him great delight. "You were bitten by a werewolf."

A laugh escaped Luna. A _werewolf_? That's ridiculous. Werewolves don't exist. Besides, if they did, that meant that she was one, too.

"Come on, a werewolf? That's impossible. They only exist in stories, not real life."

Mixed reactions filled the room from Luna's response. Mom looked horrified, a look of sadness and regret tracing her features. Kali look annoyed as she rolled her dark eyes. Dad wore a poker face.

"How's your wound, Luna?" he asked her.

Caught off-guard by his words, Luna answered, "My wound?"

Kali had walked up to her bedside and peeled off the dirty bandage that covered the stitched area.

"Hey! What gives?"

"Look at your injury."

Now curious, Luna glanced down at her side only to find herself even more confused. There was hardly anything to prove that she had been injured. No scars. No fresh blood. No stitches. Nothing. Aside from a few specks of dried blood, her skin was pretty much back to its normal shade.

Not sure if her eyes were deceiving her, Luna gently touched the area with tentative fingers. What was she doing in a hospital if her condition wasn't serious? More importantly, why wasn't she stitched up and in pain when she had been harmed only mere hours ago?

"How. . . ." she breathed, still looking at her healthy body.

"Because," answered her father, "you're a werewolf."

Luna felt a wave of horror pass through her veins. Dad had taken off his glasses, reviling the red gaze that had haunted her for weeks.

"And so am I."

* * *

"You're going to have to do better than that," sneered Kali.

Having spat out the dirt that had occupied her mouth, Luna glared up at her 'teacher.' "Just you wait," she growled.

Faster than lightning, the eighteen-year-old swung her leg around, aiming for the she-wolf's ankle. She missed when the evil woman leapt into the air, giving Luna only seconds to get back on her feet.

The teen had just enough time to get away, back up, and make her next move before her opponent landed. She leapt at the brunette, twisting their bodies as growls escaped their throats. Eventually, Kali halted their violent dance, freezing their arms above their heads. Their muscles trembled from the tension, nails piercing skin.

"Is that all you've got, Omega?" taunted the Alpha, a smug grin on her lips.

"Maybe," grunted Luna.

"Come on, weakling. I've seen pups fight better than you."

_Here she goes again._

If there was one thing the she-devil enjoyed, it was jeering people on. Luna knew plenty of fellow classmates back home with this particular hobby. They just didn't tick her off as much as this cruel individual.

"You better watch what you're saying. Your mouth could get you into a lot of trouble someday."

Snarling, Kali lunged at Luna only to be sent flying when the teenager flung her across the floor. When she hit her head on a nearby wall, the attacker preyed on her position, trapping her. She was unable to escape.

Luna placed her sharp nails against her prisoner's neck. She grazed it enough to show that she had the ability to slash the other wolf's throat at any given point.

"Game. Over."

The clapping of hands echoed across the vast area, grabbing the attention of both females. A man, who wore black glasses, stood only feet from them. There was an impressed look upon his face, as if he hadn't expected the younger she-wolf to do as well as she had.

"Well done, ladies. Well done. You've come a long way since you first began, Luna."

Luna's gaze narrowed, a thousand inappropriate comments racing through her mind. Instead of one of her prefered retorts, she settled with, "Like I had a choice."

"Let's not be rash, sweetheart."

Getting off of Kali, the teen retorted, "Yeah, you're right. Why should I hate you for takeing my life away just so you could fulfill a vow you and my mom made forever ago? It's not like I had anything that I cared about."

She began marching away from the other adults, wanting to put a great deal of distance between them.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" asked her father, causing Luna to stop in her tracks.

Slowly, she turned around, eyes full of annoyance and hate.

_No_, Luna wanted to say, _I'm not forgetting that you're selfish and the jerk who ruined everything_. But she didn't.

Instead, she reluctantly walked back to the Alpha as she fumed on the inside. She didn't want to guide him back to a car they hardly ever used, nor to drive to a place she refused to call home for the night. If there was any chance of her leaving to pack for good, she needed to cooperate.

When Luna reached her dad, she hooked her arm around his and answered, "Of course not. How could I _ever_ forget about you?"

Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Kali was wearing her usual self-righteous look.

_What I wouldn't give to punch that pretty-ugly face of hers._

"Make sure that nothing goes wrong while we're gone," her father reminded his comrade, tone cryptic. "I'd hate for something bad to happen. Wouldn't you agree, Luna?"

"Sure. Whatever," she emptily replied.

Honestly, she could care less if something happened to his pack while they were away for the evening. All she wanted to do was go and get whatever little sleep she had left before the next morning.

* * *

As soon the duo arrived at the Pent House, Luna led her father where he wanted to be before heading to the room she slept in. After slamming the door behind her, she began peeling off her dirty clothes as she wandered to the shower. One of the perks of living in a luxurious prison was having a bathroom all to yourself.

When she was done, she attempted to brush her outrageously curly hair. She then pulled on a pair of flannel pants, a tank-top, and some fuzzy socks before crawling into bed.

As Luna laid under the egg-white sheets, her mind began to vent as it thought of the recent past. It had been two months since she was bitten. Two months since she learned the truth about who she and where her father had been.

When her father lost his sight, he decided to stay away from his family until her figured things out. Soon after, he found other Alphas who were willing to form a pack together. He was the one who called the shots, though.

Before all this, her parents had made a vow that they would tell her everything when she was eighteen. When they became pregnant with Ariel, they made the same agreement.

Over the course of twenty-four hours, the girl's life had drastically changed.

Luna hated that she'd been forced to leave the familiar world of Mendocino for the foreign land of Beacon Hills. There, she was to learn the ways of a werewolf.

Of course, being a teenager, she didn't want to go

"No way. I'm not leaving. There's no way you can make me go with him," she'd protested upon hearing the unwanted news.

But no matter how hard she resisted, she still had to move in with her father.

Luna had expected her mother to be on her side. After all, Mom was just as upset about the situation as she was. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

"As much as I hate this, I agree that you should go with your father. I can't teach you everything you need to know, no matter how much I want to."

And just like that, Luna was forced to leave everything behind.

Before seven that morning, she was checked out of the hospital's care and taken home to pack. When her friends learned of this, they became just as unwilling

"They can't make you do anything! You're an adult by law!" Brent had practically screeched, as if this would fix things.

In the end, they realized that they couldn't prevent the move from happening.

"We'll miss you," said Fred, hugging her best friend cautiously. "Come back and visit us, or we'll hunt you down and hang you by your ears."

Ariel took the news even worse. The seven-year-old kept questioning her sister whether she hated her or not.

"No," replied Luna, shocked by her sibling's words. "I don't hate you. Dad just wants me to visit him for a while. I won't be gone long. I promise."

"Doesn't Dad want to see me, too?"

"Of course he does. He just needs to spend some time with me first." She wasn't sure what was true and what was false about this statement. "Here. I want you to keep this little guy while I'm gone." The teen grabbed the stuffed wolf she'd gotten for her birthday. "I need you to keep an eye on him while I'm away. He'll be awful lonely if he comes with me."

Ariel stared at the fluffy toy before taking it. What Ariel did next was totally unexpected. She untied the sky-blue bow from the animal's neck and tied it around Luna's wrist.

"So you won't forget about me," Ariel whispered.

She was leaving everything she knew: her friends, her family, her dog, her date with Alistair, the sea. . . . Her whole life was gone. No. _Stolen_. And all because of one impossible bite.

Luna closed her eyes, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. She tried to fall asleep, but what she'd done for a majority of the summer overtook her mind.

Once at Beacon Hills, Kali and her dad took her to an abandoned bank to immediately being her training. The poor teen had to do whatever she was told, lest she anger the Alpha Pack. Kali taught her how to fight, how to observe her surroundings, and how to figure out what made her rivals tick. Luna's dad filled her in on parts of their family history that she didn't know about for obvious reasons. On top of all that, he taught her how to control herself and how to use her weaknesses to her advantage.

Though there were plenty of things she had to endure, the thing that still haunted her was her first shift. The Alphas had locked her inside a dark room, a crack in the ceiling her only source of light. They only let the terrified girl go when she had full control over her body. This had been a difficult task, one that took her at least a few weeks to master.

One of the more positive things that happened to Luna was her enrollment to Beacon Hills High School. When Luna learned of this, she almost didn't believe what she'd been told.

"What?" she had asked in disbelief, convinced that her dad was messing with her.

"I said that you'll be attending Beacon Hills High School next Monday. You have ears, Luna. Trust what they tell you."

"But. . . . How? Why?"

"Don't you want to finish what you started?"

"Yes, I do. But I didn't think you wanted me to go. What made you change your mind about keeping me under close watch?"

"There was never any mind to be changed. I know that you've always been fond of your education, even as a little girl. I wouldn't allow you to go is if you still had a lack of control over your abilities. You won't be the only member of this pack continuing school, though."

"Let me guess. Ethan and Aiden?"

"Precisely. As for the 'close watch' you seem to be paranoid about: relax. No one will be examining your every move."

Luna fought the urge to roll her eyes. She wanted to say something like "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, bud." But she didn't want to lose the rare opportunity to escape her father's clutches. So, she held her tongue.

"You really mean it? You'll let me go to school?"

"If you promise not run away and go into hiding. I do understand that there will be the rare occasion or two where you'll be gone longer than need be. And don't forget, you'll still be expected to spend some time with us."

"I'm an Omega. Omegas hardly do anything with their pack."

A light chuckle escaped her dad. "Yes, that's true. But you are my daughter. I want you to be considered a member of the Alphas. Sometimes that means doing things that need to be done."

"Will this be often?"

"No. But, like I said, you'll need to do things with our pack every now and again."

In the following days, Luna came to accept that her father did in fact mean what he'd told her. The feeling of constantly being watched became little to none. Luna was accustomed to doing what the Alphas forced her to do. The thought of being free to do almost anything she wanted was overwhelming, but welcomed, too.

Rolling on her side, Luna erased all thought from her mind and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

A light buzzing came from Luna's bedside dresser, waking her up. Sitting up, she hit the snooze button on her cell before bringing her arms above her head in a stretch.

When Luna's foggy mind finally caught up to her, she remembered what today meant: senior year. Excitement possessed the girl. The thought of the first day of what little freedom she was allowed made her feel giddy for the first time in months.

Getting up, she shuffled her way to the walk-in closet and picked out the first outfit she saw. After putting it on, she went to the bathroom to finish up. She pulled her hair up into a messy bun and applied the little-to-none make up she usually adorned. When she had finished, she grabbed her bags and began to make her way out the front door, hoping that she didn't meet anyone along the way. The last person she wanted to see on such a wonderful day was-

"Have a good day, love."

_Him_.

Turning her head towards where her father stood, Luna spat, "Whatever."

The teenager exited the apartment, the sound of a loud slam echoing in her wake.

* * *

Luna knew that she was most likely walking to school since her father didn't trust her with the car. If she was to earn the keys to his SUV, she needed to play nice. She needed to reassure him that she wouldn't do something stupid like drive half-way to Canada. Until then, she would either walk or take the bus. Lame. But what choice did she have?

On her way down to the lobby, the elevator stopped. The silver doors sluggishly opened, reveling a pretty girl around Luna's age.

"Hey," said the girl when she noticed Luna leaning against the wall, arms crossed against her chest.

"Hi."

"How long have you lived here?" asked the girl, trying to make small talk.

"Not long. You?"

"A little less than a month. In this building, I mean."

"Hmm?"

"I moved to Beacon Hills just before my sophomore year. My family and I lived in a house a few miles from here."

This caught Luna's interest. "You're the new kid in town?"

"Well, I was." The girl glanced at Luna's backpack. "Are you a high school student?"

"I am."

"What year?"

"Senior. You?"

"Junior."

"Really? You look older than that."

"Yeah, well, I was held back a year because we moved around a lot. I'd be a senior, too, if we'd settled down sooner."

"That sucks," Luna sincerely said.

"It's not a big deal. I'm fine with it. It's the age thing that I'm uncomfortable with," admitted the girl.

"Let me guess. You're either seventeen going on eighteen or eighteen."

"Seventeen going on eighteen. What's your age?"

"Turned eighteen in June."

"A summer baby. Must be nice."

"It is," replied Luna, briefly giving her a small smile.

The elevator dinged before sliding open, allowing the teens to exit.

"Which school do you go to?" asked the pretty girl as she walked alongside Luna.

"Beacon Hills High."

"Me too! Do you want a ride? I have to pick up a friend before I head that way, though."

Luna felt a great wave of relief pass over her. It looked like god was smiling down on her today. "Sure. I'd like that. It's better than walking."

The girl gave a soft chuckle. "I'm Allison, by the way. What's your's?"

"Luna."

A smile graced Allison's features. "Ready to go? I'm parked a couple of feet from the entrance."

"Yes, I am. So, who's this friend of yours that needs a ride?" asked the she-wolf as they walked outside.

"Her name's Lydia. She's in my year."

"Wonderful. Can't wait to meet her."

"I'd like to see if you feel the same way once you talk with her."

"Is she that bad?" asked Luna, head tipped as Allison unlocked her vehicle.

"No, not really. She's just one of those people who you have to get use to."

"Great," mumbled Luna as Allison started the engine and began the drive to Lydia's place.

* * *

On their way over to pick up Lydia, the girls talked about their summer. Well, Allison did. Luna only shared the normal bits of her vacation.

Allison and her father spent a majority of the break in France as a way to help them recover from her mother's death. Luna felt horrible. If she lost her mom, she'd go insane. Mom was the one person who actually took care of Luna when she needed to act like her age.

When it was the eighteen-year-old's turn to share what she did during summer break, a calm wave passed over her. For a moment, she forgot about the pain the Alphas brought. She talked about afternoon swims at the beach, jogs with Bernerd, and what she did on her birthday. The last thing she added was her parents deciding that she should move in with her father for a while. She left out the part about getting bit by a werewolf and being treated like an unstable animal.

Details.

It felt nice having someone around her age to talk to. Luna didn't expect to make new friends, but Allison was making her think that maybe she could. Her dad did say that she'd be allowed to do more things now that she was better trained. Why shouldn't she befriend a person or two?

Eventually, they came across a fancy house. Allison pulled her car up the perfectly manicured driveway. This was surrounded by an even more perfectly groomed front yard. It was honestly too perfect to be real. She wouldn't be surprised if a couple of peacocks made an appearance.

"This is her house?" asked Luna in disbelief.

"Is there something wrong with it?"

"No. I mean, look at this place. It's perfect."

"Aren't you use to seeing places like this?"

"No. Why?"

"Well, you live in an expensive apartment building."

"Right. My dad has a more than good income. My mom and I? Not really."

Before Allison could comment, a girl with strawberry-blonde hair came into Luna's view. When she reached the car, she noticed that someone was already sitting shotgun. Looking at Allison, she gave her a look that read "Who the hell is this?" Allison motioned towards the back seat, silently telling her to get in.

Understanding what her friend meant, she gave Luna another look and made her way to the backseat. Once in, she asked, "Who's she?"

"Lydia, this is Luna. Luna, this is Lydia. I met her this morning on my way down to my car. She lives in the same apartments as I do."

"Hey," Luna said, looking at the new passenger.

Lydia glanced at Luna then turned her focus on Allison. "So, you're giving rides to people you just met now? Great. Who knows? Maybe you'll pick up an ax-murderer and we'll never hear from you again."

"Nice to meet you, too."

"I'm not picking up everyone I see, Lydia. She goes to the same school as us, so I thought it would be good to ride together."

The strawberry-blonde rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Great. Another freshman."

"I'm a senior."

"Whatever." Lydia looked at the driver. "Are we going or not?"

Wanting to ease the tension between her passengers, Allison backed out of the driveway and began driving towards their school, hoping that they wouldn't strangle each other along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have officially entered season 3A of Teen Wolf.  
If Deucalion seems out of character, there's a reason that this is so. After all, there's more to him than meets the eye. You honestly don't believe he'd let Luna do these things without having a purpose behind it, do you?
> 
> Luna will be a bit different from how she started out, considering what has happened to her. She's having a hard time and needs to figure out how to handle her new life. Of course, this is understandable. It's a lot to take in. 
> 
> I'm considering ending the series once I reach the end of 3A. If I do, it'll be written in a way where I can either be done with it or make a sequel if I decide to come back.
> 
> The next chapter will be up as soon as I can work on it. 
> 
> Until next time, see you later :)

**Author's Note:**

> Song title: "Windsong." It's the English version of "Imba Wimbo" from the film Mighty Joe Young. It's Disney, so it's obviously good. Watch it if you haven't. You will not regret it. 
> 
> And thus begins the beginning of me finally editing my work. Still not the best, but at least it's better than the original.


End file.
